A Thief's Work
by Alternity
Summary: Apprentice Nightingale and thief Katica has her priorities straight. She knows that she always wants to remain loyal to her favorite Guild and Divine. But when troubles hits them head on with Katica in the middle, will the future be as favorable as she thought it would be? Or will the changes harm her more than they help her?
1. The Silent Heist

Disclaimer is always first! - _Skyrim and its characters are not owned by me. Any name in this writing is owned by **Bethesda**, excluding my own character and a few other elements. The ideas are from my mind unless otherwise stated. Thank you._

About a year ago, I began working on this story. It got pretty far, too - three chapters? Four? And then I stopped, due to school. Recently, I've read it over, and now I want to keep working on it, slowly. I really loved this thing. To those of you who are still following me and who followed because of this story, surprise! I'm sorry for taking it down. ):

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"Are you sure this is going to work?"

"_Shh!_ We've done it before. Come on, this will work fine."

I followed the two thieves through the darkness. My eyes weren't adjusted well to the darkness, so I couldn't quite see them, only able to make out two dark figures moving silently ahead of me. A soft wind blew through the valley, making it even more comfortable to wear the Nightingale armor. At first, I hadn't really taken a liking to the apparel, since it was stiff and hard to put on. But it was several weeks since then, and I had adjusted to the feeling. Now all I had to adjust to was the oath of Nocturnal.

"I know, but I mean, I've never gone with you on _this_ kind of heist before, and-"

"Would you_ shut up!"_ another figure shouted back, a young man that was at least several years older than I was. "Nobody cares if you've done this or not! You're here now."

I immediately shut my mouth, hurrying to catch up. "Sorry, Mercer," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"No, you're not. Now _shut_ your _mouth!_ We're almost there."

We made it a few minutes later, sticking to the shadows of the house and creeping towards the door. Mercer tested the door, cursing softly.

"Locked," he answered. "Anyone have a spare?"

"What kind of a thief are you, forgetting your own lockpicks?" I retorted curtly, reaching inside the hood of my armor and pulling a spare lockpick from my hair. I handed it to him.

"What kind of a thief keeps their lockpicks in plain sight?" he answered back, tugging it from my grip and starting to work on the door. "Not a normal one, that's for sure."

"Oh, stop it, you two," the girl complained, lifting her sleek bow from her shoulder. "This is no time for petty arguments."

But I refused to give up. "Are you calling me abnormal?"

"I'm certainly not calling you very ordinary."

I punched Mercer lightly, expecting it to distract him from his work. But it didn't, because he already had it unlocked.

"I'm keeping this lockpick," he said blandly. I tried to make a grab for it before he could do anything, but he weaved it into his sleeve the second I made a move.

"You'd steal a lockpick from a poor little girl like me?" I asked in a hushed tone, feigning anger. In truth, it didn't really matter, because I had plenty. I had my hair pinned up with them, for Divines' sake, even if it took a lot of work each morning just to keep them in place.

Mercer turned around, lifting a shoulder and pushing the door open slowly. "I'm a thief. You're a thief. I don't really care," he whispered gruffly. "Stop bothering me."

I could hear faint laughter from behind me and shook my head. "I hate both of you. I don't even know why I'm here." I muttered something about dirty, lockpick-stealing thieves as we entered into the house, earning me a fist in the side. I clamped my mouth shut to stifle a cry.

"Do you want to get us caught?" the girl whispered-yelled urgently to the two of us. I shook my head. I'd submit for now, but when we got out of there…

Now that it was silent, I could finally focus on what we were doing. Never mind that I was the one causing the noise. I looked around the darkness of the house, trying to map out where the doorways and rooms were. If we had to make a quick escape, it did me well to know the way towards the exit. It wasn't good for someone's reputation around Skyrim if word got out that they were in the Thieves Guild. I had a pretty white reputation around Riften and the rest of the Holds, but if someone figured out that I was in cahoots with them, it would ruin my image. Likely forever.

I drew out my dagger. When I was little, mother gave it to me after a house robbery that left us with only a few hundred gold pieces. It took us five years to rebuild our funds and get us back to where we needed to be. In that time, my father hired a trainer to come and teach me how to use this dagger, as well as a proper sword. He would come once a week, teaching me the basic movements and strokes that it took to be a decent blade wielder. Since I learned quickly, it only took me a couple months before I could almost match up to him. But he was always quicker than me, even when I was trying my hardest.

I ran my thumb down the flat of the blade, clutching it tightly and moving into the first room. I could hear the other two following me closely and slowed to a near stop. "Wait, why am I going first?"

"It's alright," the girl murmured reassuringly. It calmed my nerves, and I glanced around. The three of us were in here for the sole purpose of finding some important document. I had no idea about what it was supposed to be written on it anyways. I was a Nightingale, but it didn't mean the Guild thought I was "mature" enough to handle some extra information. According to the guild master, Gallus, I was too young to be filled in on everything that they had to attend to. A few more years would do me good, he said.

I diverted my attention from the job to search for loose coins, or maybe even a small coin purse. Those were always my favorite things to look for whenever we broke into a home or some other structure. Unfortunately, there was nothing of interest in plain sight except for some bowls and spare boots. I crept over to a nearby cabinet, opening it a crack and glancing inside. Nothing but old clothes and a cheap ring. I shut it again, moving on to the next cabinet. Still nothing.

"Katica, Karliah, over here. I think I found something." A whisper.

_Sure you did,_ I thought, slinking quietly toward Mercer. "What?" I whispered back, my eyes darting around his hunched form. "Where?"

Mercer tossed a wrinkled piece of paper onto the table next to him, straightening up and smoothing it out. "Karliah, is this what we're looking for?"

"Okay, great, ignore me," I whispered angrily, but I didn't push the subject. Instead, I moved into the shadows again, heading into another room while the two discussed in hushed voices. This room had a window, and I was immediately attracted to it. The moonlight made it brighter outside than it was in the house, which was what made the scenery so much more enjoyable to look at. I was always a sucker for beautiful views.

Something gleaming in the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I turned towards it. _Coins,_ I thought, before making my way to them. My fingers found the first, second, third gold piece laying out in plain view, and I tucked them snugly in my sleeve. With a little bit of searching, I found four more gold pieces before Karliah and Mercer finally caught up.

"It wasn't it," said Karliah softly. "Just a letter from a friend." There was no trace of anger or frustration in her voice.

I frowned, despite the fact that my hood concealed it. "And I thought it really would be that easy."

"Idiot," Mercer muttered, pushing past me. "Anything in here?"

"That was sarcasm. Learn it," I said coldly. "And I already cleaned it out." Without waiting for another snide comment, I slipped out of the room and into the hallway. I almost forgot to keep quiet, but being exposed in the open hallway granted me an uncomfortable reminder. My fingers tightened around the dagger.

Someone gripped my forearm suddenly, yanking me back. I whirled on the attacker, my dagger on a smooth course towards their chest. They reached out, catching my wrist tightly and forcing it down to my side.

"Katica! What the _hell!"_ came their voice, angry but quiet. I immediately relaxed, trying to calm the pounding in my chest.

"What was that for?" I asked breathlessly as Mercer released my arms. I let them fall to my sides.

"Don't you remember the damned map? Bedroom's that way," he growled, turning his back on me and prowling towards another open doorway. "Don't go over there. I'm pretty sure what we're looking for is not in there."

"You never know." I followed him, taking a breath to steady my breathing. Karliah was already in the room, brushing her hand over cupboards and tables in her noiseless search. Mercer and I quickly joined, scouring the room for suspicious objects.

Two minutes later, our search proved fruitless.

"Up the stairs," Karliah whispered, waving us into the hallway again. "Quickly, we don't want anyone hearing us."

I bounded up the stairs behind the two Nightingales, watching where they stepped and making sure I retraced them. We slipped into another unlit room. I found a small coin purse, which I quickly put away before the other two noticed. We were told to take only what we needed from the house, and if the others saw me pilfering extra money, they wouldn't be happy. Sure, the Guild always appreciated the extra gold, but this was an important operation. Or so I was told.

"Find anything?" asked Karliah.

Both Mercer and I shook our heads.

She frowned. "We have to get back soon. It's already been too long since we left."

"How about we each take a room?" I suggested, backing up into the hallway. "There are only three left anyways."

"That's a good idea," said Mercer. "That way, if you get caught, Karliah and I can just-"

"Oh shut up," I said bitterly, heading down the hallway to the door on the end. I stepped inside and crouched down, looking around the room. It looked secure, with only a few shelves and a wooden chest.

_Maybe there's something in there. _I crept towards the chest, glancing around again just in case there was someone I missed, but it was safe.

The chest was locked. I pulled out a lockpick, sticking it into the lock, and tested it. It wouldn't budge from its position, so I moved it toward the left, gently torqueing it and trying again. Nothing. I repeated the process twice before the weak thing broke. The second one only took three times before it snapped.

I shut my eyes to concentrate and pulled out a third one, inserting it into the lock of the chest. I moved it around until I could feel the tip of it slide into place, and then twisted it slowly until I felt the unnatural click that I was so familiar to. A smile crept onto my face when, with a simple turn of the pick, the lock popped open.

I shut my mouth to stifle a triumphant laugh and removed the lock, opening the chest. It was filled nearly to the brim with spare clothes. No gold or valuables in sight. Working as quickly and silently as possible, I began to pull the clothes from inside, thoroughly checking inside the pockets before dropping them onto the floor beside me. A few Imperial cloaks, as well as fancy robes were among the contents that I searched, each one empty of gold or letters.

I was about to give up and dump the clothes back in when I saw something unnatural at the bottom of the chest. It was lighter than the rest of it, folded up tightly so that it was almost hidden from view. I took it and unfolded it slowly, holding my breath in case I had been too loud rooting through the chest. I scanned the parchment over, reading it aloud in a soft whisper.

_ "A note to my successor,_

_ You have done a pleasant job with carrying out the plans in the Rift. My courier has given word of the changes that have been occurring since you have arrived in the Hold. The Jarl of Riften has given her kind word to allow me to enter into the city, thanks to you. She seems to have forgiven my past deeds now. We do not need her word to strike the union that has formed underneath her city. Soon, you will receive another letter with word with how the rest of the plans will go. Expect it soon. Prepare for blood and tears from those rats._

_ Your Superior."_

It sounded like whoever was in the house was helping with an attack on people in Riften. And judging by the use of the word "rat", it sounded like they were going to attack the Guild.

I skimmed over the words again as panic set in. Quickly, my fingers folded the paper back up. I stuffed it into the sleeve of my armor, beginning to put the garments back where they belonged and trying not to make much noise.

So this was what they were looking for. I had no doubts that this wasn't it, because it sounded serious. And it involved the Guild. Someone wanted to hurt us, and they had been planning it for who knew how long.

I stuffed the last robe into the chest and shut it tightly, replacing the lock back where it belonged. I had to tell the other two and get us out of there before we really were caught snooping around. I got up and practically ran toward the door and out into the hallway.

"Karliah," I whispered loudly. "Mercer! I found something!"

I could just barely make out the sounds of their footsteps retreating back into the hallway. Their dark forms appeared silently before me.

"Something useless, I'm guessing?" suggested Mercer.

"No, I found a letter," I said softly, glancing around. Now that we actually had something important, I felt more anxious than I usually did. "It mentions the Guild in it, I think."

"You think?"

"Well, not directly. But I think they're plans to try and attack us."

The silence seemed to last for hours.

Karliah spoke first. "I think that may be what we're looking for. We'd better go before anyone finds out we're here, first. Then I'd like to see that letter, if you've still got it."

"I do."

In several seconds, we were down the stairs and back at the door. Mercer cracked it open carefully, waiting until Karliah and I had slipped out before following suit. Then the three of us made our way across the grounds of the house, keeping silent until we reached the shadows of the trees nearby.

"Where is the letter?" Karliah asked. I pulled it out of my sleeve, opening it up and handing it to her. She held it out in the moonlight and read it over. Mercer peeked over her shoulder, silent.

"Someone's planning an attack," said Karliah after she had skimmed it through.

"Yeah, I got that," I answered. "I assumed you already knew about it. I don't know a thing because everyone has kept it from me."

"You'd ruin everything," Mercer cut in helpfully. I took a step toward him angrily, but Karliah placed a hand on my shoulder, stopping me.

"It's safer for now if you don't. We'll tell you everything when the time is right."

I took in a breath, then exhaled slowly. "Sure."

The Nightingale folded the letter back up, handing it to Mercer, who stowed it away. "Thank you for coming with us," she said.

I shrugged and turned away. "Only because I like this guild so much."

Then the first arrow hit.


	2. Trouble in the Darkness

The arrow stuck in the tree, right beside Mercer's shoulder. He cried out, startling Karliah and I into action. She took out her bow, sinking into the shadows, and I reached for my faithful dagger and sword, dodging behind the tree.

Mercer appeared from the other side, his own sword and dagger in hand. "Karliah, they're mercenaries!" he yelled, just as another arrow flew past the tree.

"Seven!" I heard her call from somewhere to the right. She had literally disappeared.

"Seven sentries. How the hell could they have heard us?" Mercer growled, pausing before glancing at me. "You ready?"

I shut my eyes. "I'm not going to worry, I've trained for fighting."

"Here's your chance to prove it." Then he pivoted around the tree and into the brawl.

I nodded, gripping my two weapons firmly before mirroring his actions, straight into the armor of a guard. In my panic, I drew my blade up, bashing his chest plate. He stumbled back, giving me enough time to regain my bearings. I lunged at him with a yell and struck at him. His blade found mine, deflecting the blow and forcing me back against the tree.

I ducked beneath his swing, using my sword to strike his blade away from my body. My dagger found the unprotected flesh underneath his arm. He screamed in pain, elbowing the side of my neck in his fury, and lashed out again. Dazed, I managed to block it with my gauntlet and slip out from under him.

Before he could turn around, I pulled my dagger from his side and flipped my wrist, bringing the hilt of it crashing into his helmet. He staggered to the side, collapsing on one knee. One more strike to his neck with my sword, and he was down for the count.

Mercer's angry roar caught my attention.

"Son of a bitch!" he yelled, and out of the corner of my eye I saw another body fall, with Mercer reclaiming his sword from it. "Go to Sovngarde!"

A voice spoke calmly behind me. "Don't jump."

I did anyways, and I had to stop myself from sending my blade into Karliah's armor. "Don't do that!" I screeched.

She laughed. "Sorry." Her arrow came whizzing past me by inches, striking a guard that was charging toward us. I saw him fall, recover, and pick himself up. Before I knew what I was doing, I had reached him, but not before catapulting over his blade. I battered his helmet with both dagger and sword, trying not to let him turn around. One kick to the wrong spot and he was down. I laughed triumphantly, patting his armor. "That has got to hurt worse than a blade," I teased, backing away from the squawking man.

"Katica, watch out!" both Nightingales cried, right as a hard blow from behind knocked me down. I winced and flipped onto my back, gripping my sword and preparing to cut the guard down.

Her blade was leveled between my eyes. "You can't get away now, thief," she hissed, bringing her blade up. "Don't even try."

As her blade came flashing down, Mercer's blade connected with it. He leapt over me and distracted the guard, giving me a chance to roll out from beneath the guard. Breathing heavily, I took half a second to recover onto my feet before throwing my dagger at the guard. It struck her side and stuck. She yelled in pain and reached for it, allowing Mercer enough time to slice her down.

He pulled his blade out of the corpse, and I retrieved my dagger. "Thanks," we said simultaneously. I smiled. He didn't.

Or maybe he did, but I had already directed my attention back to the battle at hand. There were four guards down that I had counted. Three more to go.

"Where's Karliah?" asked Mercer.

I looked around, but couldn't see her. "She's doing fine," I said.

"I know that," he growled, scanning the field. "I was wondering."

I started toward the house. "She's probably in the shadows," I called back, searching for the other guards.

"I'm right here!" came Karliah's voice. She emerged from the darkness of the house, running toward us. "I've gotten two so far."

"There's only one more guard then," I said, trotting over to her. Mercer joined us, looking tense. He grabbed our arms, dragging us back into the shade.

"Hey, why are you-" I managed to get out, before Mercer hit me in the gut. I clenched my teeth, falling quiet.

"Shut up," he said brusquely, his voice low. "Wherever they are, I don't want them seeing or hearing us."

"Mercer's right," said Karliah quietly. "We ought to just wait here, or leave while we can."

"It's one guard," I whispered. "We just went through six of them."

"Be patient. This isn't all about fighting. Actually, it shouldn't be about fighting at all."

I turned around again, staring at the house and keeping watch. I wasn't the most patient person, I'd admit, but I had been training for fights ever since I was little. The Thieves Guild may not have been the best place for me to be, but some of the people I had met in my lifetime and stayed with me were from the Guild. Riften villagers always complained about how untrustworthy and deceitful they were, but I had come to know them more than they ever would. I actually gave them a chance, unlike the townsfolk. They were my friends.

Of course, I hadn't always thought that way. When I was small, I thought they were the dirtiest things in the world. Any talk of thieves, and I'd jump in and hurl defamations about them, regardless of whether or not the public heard me. I hated them for robbing my family and interrupting our perfect course of life. They had messed with both of my parents, which to me was the worst sin anyone could commit.

Then my parents had hired the sword trainer. They decided they could trust him, telling him everything that had happened, including what they had stolen and what they were doing about it. I thought it was stupid of them, and so did my instructor. But he kept helping me, saying how great it was that my parents had thought of me, and my safety. One day, while we were out practicing in the yard, he even broke it to me that he was part of an organization called the Thieves Guild.

I wasn't going to tell my parents about it. I liked him too much to get him thrown in prison, as they undoubtedly would do. Instead, I focused on learning as much as possible from him, not for the benefit or knowhow of swordplay, but so that, one day, I could match the Guild's master swordsman and take him on. That was what helped me learn so quickly. My parents had no idea about what was going on in my mind those five years.

My trainer kept telling me to rethink what he was like, but never urged me or gave up on me. He used himself as an example. After all, I hadn't known he was a thief until he had told me, and it wasn't like he stole at every given opportunity. He always thought about the consequences. I truly did like the man – although he could be bad-tempered at times, which caused me to have to work even harder at parrying his sword thrusts. But every time I thought of that specific guild and what they did for a living, I'd get angry all over again.

But, by the time our five years were over, he had swayed me over, and I had grown closer to him. I was thirteen years old, and my body and mind were beginning to mature out of that angry, irrational state of mind. After I left my hometown – too early, said my parents; but it was one less mouth to feed, so they were at least almost happy to be rid of me – I traveled to Riften, to seek out the Guild. My intentions, however, were different now. I wanted to see for myself what they really were like. If I didn't like it, I'd get out of there.

I ended up liking it more than I had imagined. My friend the swords master had even talked to with them about me. Most of them were friendly, save for a few bothersome members, and I found myself following after them on a number small-scale robberies. After a few years, I found myself going on more and more of them alone, able to get the job done quickly. There were a few close encounters, but nothing serious.

"Oh, _damn it!"_

I snapped out of my memories in time to see Mercer stumbled forward and out of the shadows, clutching his forearm. The guard had snuck up behind us, catching us off-guard.

Karliah sprang back, narrowly avoiding the tip of the guard's sword. She ducked away, while I pulled my sword back, bringing it forward to meet his. I pushed him back easily, as he wasn't expecting the quick comeback. He stumbled and nearly fell, and I used that time to stab at him with my dagger.

I thought for sure that the guard wouldn't make it in time. To my surprise, he spun out of the way, reclaiming his footing. I pulled my arm back and had another go at him with my sword, but he blocked my swing, shoving it to the side. His sword flew up, snagging my breast armor and causing me to fly back. I hit the ground hard, shrieking in pain.

The guard glared at me, making a move to retaliate further. Right when he did, Karliah's arrow seemed sprout through his arm. He flinched, bellowing in anger, and decided to take his anger out on me.

I rolled away from his attack, kicking at his ankles. He tripped, bringing his sword arcing back at my legs. I felt the impact before I felt the pain as it slashed through the unprotected skin at the back of my thigh. I ignored it, hopping away from him. He was already up, lunging at the same place. Again, I was too slow, and again his sword found its mark. I screamed, twirling on my feet until I was facing him so that when I fell, my armor would protect my legs.

Mercer suddenly appeared beside me, bringing his sword down on the guard. I noticed his other arm was dripping blood, and he kept it down at his side. It was still clutching the dagger.

I could do nothing but lay there as he clashed with the guard, yelling obscenities and curses the entire time. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Karliah's form appear from the shadows. She approached the guard slowly, her bow drawn.

"Mercer, move!" she yelled. Without hesitating, he stumbled out of the way. Karliah's arrow flew like a jet at the guard, lodging itself comfortably in his neck. His screamed was suddenly penetrated with blood. Then it was coughing, as the guard tried his best to rip the arrow from his neck. He didn't make it, and he collapsed to the ground, falling silent.

Only the sound of hard breathing could be heard now. I drew my knees up, wincing and sitting up slowly. The pain throbbed through my leg, and I could feel thick liquid running down it, no doubt blood. Mercer sheathed his sword and dagger, holding his arm and turning to look at me.

"Is everyone alright?" Karliah called, bounding over to us, bow in hand.

"Fine. Nothing serious."

"Just a little cut up."

The two helped me up slowly, waiting until I had my proper footing before letting go.

"Thanks," I said, putting away my dagger and sword. I looked at the dead guard. "He got my leg. I'm alright."

"Yeah, he got my arm, too," Mercer said angrily. "Tricky bastard. Did he get you, Karliah?"

She shook her head, putting her bow away. "No, but I'm glad you two are alright."

"We're alright, but already very late," said Mercer. "Come on, let's get out of here before any other mercenaries catch us out."

The three of us made our way from the house slowly, once again the triumphant thieves that had left the house not ten minutes ago. And we still had the letter, which made it more than just a victory. We walked in silence; each of us immersed in our own separate thoughts.

I had started thinking about the letter again, and what was in store for our guild. It appeared that Karliah and Mercer had no idea about the plans, which meant that they didn't know when an attack was supposed to happen. For all I knew, it could happen tomorrow. Mercer was right, if I had known about it earlier, I probably would have done something about it and ruined everything.

It wasn't until we were about a mile from Riften when Karliah broke the silence.

"Let's wash ourselves up in this river. We probably look terrible. The least we can do is return to the Guild looking decent."

I limped to the river slowly, letting the other two Nightingales walk ahead of me. The pain in my leg had subsided, at least a little bit. I had been so preoccupied with my thoughts that I hadn't noticed it while we walked. At least the bleeding seemed to have stopped.

I finally made it to the river, taking off my boots and wading into the water slowly. Mercer and Karliah were already up to their waists, washing their armor. I lowered my hood, leaning down and splashing water at my face. The water was cool, which was refreshing after the skirmish. I found myself wading in deeper, until the water reached my wound. I twisted around, cupping water in my hand and washing it over the cut, sighing in relief when it made contact.

"Thank the Divines," I murmured, sinking into the water and shutting my eyes. The flow of the water provided a crisp wash, and I let myself forget our situation. Right now, it was nothing but the water and me.

When I opened my eyes at last, Karliah and Mercer were sitting at the edge of the river, discussing in quiet voices. I cleaned my armor off and rinsed my hands off before returning to them.

"Much better," I said, pulling my dripping hood over my head again. "My leg doesn't hurt as badly anymore." I shoved my feet back in my boots, almost tripping from the sudden, sharp pain.

"Careful!" Karliah remarked worriedly, catching my arm. I balanced myself.

"Maybe it still hurts," I grumbled softly, much to the amusement of Mercer.

"I thought you, of all the guild members, would be able to take a little bit of pain," he commented, sniggering.

"_Thank you_, Mercer Frey," I said mockingly, but I couldn't make up a smart comment in response.

He laughed, turning away. "Time to go."

Karliah sighed, patting me on the back lightly and following him. I walked beside her.

"You two will never give up, will you?" she asked under her breath.

I watched Mercer's back. It felt nice to make faces at him behind it. Not that he'd be able to see even if he were looking at me anyways. "When hell freezes over."


	3. Social Silence

We entered Riften in the dark of the early morning just a few minutes later. Barely anyone was about, and I found myself more relaxed than ever. We had just broken into a house, escaped with what we went for, gone through a fight with seven guards, and the Guild was being plotted against, but all I could think about was how wonderful my life was.

"Ah, I love the smell of Riften," I sighed delightedly. "Smells like home."

"Where did you live, the bottom of a lake?"

Leave it to Mercer to ruin my good mood.

Karliah turned the corner, guiding us down a narrow passageway into the Riften graveyard while I tried not to strike the chuckling Mercer. There was a shortcut into the Guild's cistern this way, which proved helpful whenever any guild members were caught in the act of stealing. Our special Guild's armor confused the guards, making it harder for them to identify exactly who it was, and since most of us in the Guild were fast, the hidden passageway gave us a fast getaway. It also made us "vanish into thin air", as I heard a guard put it once.

No one was in the graveyard late at night, so the three of us hastened towards a small building. Inside, a few candles sat on a jutting portion of the wall, directly above something that looked to me like a coffin. I never bothered to puzzle out what it was. It was an entrance to the Guild, and that was all that matter.

Karliah pressed a small button on the side of it and stepped back. The floor in front of the coffin pulled back, revealing steps down to a lit lantern and a trapdoor. She descended down the steps. Then I followed, and Mercer. When we made it, he pulled a chain on the wall, effectively shutting the entrance and leaving us with nothing but the small lamp light.

I bent down, helping Karliah tug the trapdoor up. I watched as she leapt down, grabbing hold of the ladder and climbing the rest of the way down. Mercer shot me a look and followed her. I glared down the hole, waiting until he had disappeared before I did the same, grabbing the trapdoor and pulling it down again.

I caught up to them right as they were making their way into the Cistern, reaching up and lowering my hood. The familiar smell of blood, sweat and mead assaulted my nose, causing me to sneeze. No matter how long I had spent down at the Guild, I would never completely be used to the sewers. They were sewers, after all.

We approached Gallus, who was donned in our own outfit and bent over his desk nearby the gold vault. He was studying a map of something, but I couldn't tell what it was from where we stood.

The guild master glanced up, taking a few moments to take us in, standing in our still-damp armor. "Run into trouble?" he asked, a glimmer in his eye.

"Nice to see you too, Gallus," I said flatly. I made sure to smile, just in case he didn't realize that I wasn't actually angry.

"Just a few guards," Mercer said. "We handled them pretty well."

"Glad to see you two enjoyed yourselves out there," replied Gallus. I smirked as he turned to Karliah. "Did you get find what we were looking for?"

"Yes, we found it," she replied, turning to Mercer. He pulled out the letter, handing it to Gallus.

"A note to my successor…" the leader mumbled as he read. "Pleasant job… Rift… Jarl… past deeds… union… underneath – underneath the city?"

"That would be us," Mercer commented. "We think that whoever this man is, he's been planning an attack on us. Right now, it seems he's gathering an army, or at least a fair amount of warriors, if not that."

"For a guild as small as us?"

Karliah cut in. "It's ridiculous, I know. But Gallus, this letter provides proof. They could be here at any time. We have to remain on our guard."

Gallus straightened up, running a hand through his hair and closing his eyes. "If you're right," he said, "then we'd better get a move on. We'll need all the preparatory measures and aid that we can get. The earlier, the better. I'll send out a few of our numbers to see if we can find out any more information about this situation."

He looked at Mercer and me. "If I were you two, I'd start sharpening my skills on something else, other than just your swords. If, and when, this happens, I'll want you two to lay low until we've got most of them slaughtered, before you rush in and make irrational decisions. Use bows and arrows for that."

I groaned. "I'm awful with those."

Mercer shrugged, silent.

"Good, then you agree. Get your rest; you've earned it. But first – Karliah, come with me."

I glanced over at her. She lowered her hood, and I could see she had a smile on her face. "Absolutely." I watched as she walked off with Gallus towards the training room, her radiant brown hair swept over one shoulder. She was a Dunmer elf, so naturally her skin tone was darker than most of the guild members. It had a blue tinge, one that I loved to look at. It made me feel relaxed, because I felt like Karliah was one of the few that I trusted in our Guild, save for Gallus and Mercer. Us Nightingales had learned to stick together. Or at least I had learned to stick to them.

"Do you think we should stay here tonight, or go back to the Hall?" I asked Mercer quietly.

"Well, seeing as Karliah and Gallus will probably be talking for a while, I say we should just stay here. Besides, if those idiots decide they want to pay a surprise visit to the Guild tonight, at least we'll be here for it."

"Yeah, good thinking," I said, looking around the Cistern. "I'm going to change out of this wet armor. It needs to dry, and I think I'm still soaked to the bone. Not to mention my stab wound still hurts."

Mercer shook his head, already beginning to walk away. "If you can't handle a little pain, I'd hate to be near you once the real battle actually begins."

"That's why I resort to sneaking!" I yelled, but the words seemed to bounce off his back.

I shot a sharp look in his direction before walking off in the opposite direction towards my room. It was in a small, secluded portion of the hallway between the Cistern and the Ragged Flagon, the Guild's own personal bar. On calm nights, it was almost quiet, save for the snores of the other members. Over the years, it had become my second home, because I felt so comfortable here.

I opened the door to the hallway, keeping my head down as other guild members walked past. One thing I figured out quickly when I first joined the Thieves Guild was that some people here weren't very mindful of business. For example, one of the members - Dryfius the _Brave_, or so he called himself - couldn't go an hour without finding some bit of information about a guild member. He stuck his nose in conversations and listened in, and then went out and gossiped to the others. It got to the point where I couldn't utter a single sentence without him twisting the meaning of it into something completely different. Some guild members and I even started calling him Dryfius the Pryfius when he wasn't around. It served him right.

I slipped to the side and into my room. I always kept two or three candles lit inside even when I wasn't around. I liked my room well lit when I got back. It felt more welcoming. At my old home, my parents always used to keep their lanterns lit throughout the hallways and in our rooms. I carried on that practice to the Thieves Guild.

My room was a mess, as always. I never bothered cleaning it. Otherwise, one of the others might be tempted to look through my belongings, and that was something I would not tolerate. I made for the wardrobe beside my bed, which held all of my common traveler's clothes and Guild coverings. At the Guild, I always preferred to wear its usual attire, just because everyone else did.

Slowly, I tugged my Nightingale hood off, tossing it onto the bed. Off came the gloves, the armor, and the boots. I blew out the candle nearest to me so that any curious eyes wouldn't be able to see me, and then turned around to get a good look at my wound. It was a long laceration now, red at the edges from some dried blood that I hadn't gotten off. Nothing that would bother me for long. It still ached a little bit, but it felt a lot better than it had earlier.

I removed my Guild clothes from my wardrobe, changing into the armor and hood and tugging on my boots and gloves. As soon as I was comfortably fitted, I went ahead and put my Nightingale armor in the chest at the base of my bed. I kept my armor there because it was easily accessible during emergencies.

Since I wasn't exactly ready to tuck in for the night, I decided to head on out to the Ragged Flagon and get myself something to drink. There were only ever a few people around at a time. Most were at the Cistern, either training or already drunk, or a mixture of both. There were always at least one or two people drunk at any given time down here. It was my source of entertainment to watch them from the shadows, especially if a fight started.

"Evening, Katica," the bartender greeted.

I leaned over the front of the counter. "Hi, Vekel," I replied. "Hear any news recently?"

"Nothing except the usual," he said, grabbing for a cup from beneath the counter. "You want what you normally get?"

"Not so much tonight. I need a good night's sleep tonight." I watched him bring out the ewer of mead. "And could you water it down more than usual, too? I'm not in the mood tonight. Thanks, Vekel."

"Anything for a member of the Guild," he said, handing the cup to me. "Just don't take anything from me, and we'll still be on good terms."

"I can't promise anything," I said with a wink, sipping at the honeyed drink. "Just don't tell anyone outside the Guild I drink this, and you won't find anything missing from your pockets."

The bartender chuckled. "If anyone finds out that I work for the Thieves Guild, I'll be thrown in jail for the rest of my life."

"Are you saying that if you mentioned _me _to anyone, you'd get in trouble?"

He raised an eyebrow, grinning. "I could be."

I straightened up from the counter, holding my mead. "Watch your belongings, Vekel." I managed to make it a few feet before I started laughing.

"Enjoy the mead!" he called. I raised a hand in response and trudged off.

In the center of the Flagon, there was a shallow pool of water. It ran beneath the bar in the shape of a circle. Most people sat at the counter or tables nearby the bar, but my favorite spot to sit was at the edge of the water. The Flagon was light enough so that you could see your reflection if you looked into it. It was also a spot that I could keep a clear lookout at the entrance.

I sat down near the steps up to the Flagon, leaning forward and looking down into the water. I looked the same as ever, perhaps even a little cleaner due to the fact that I had cleaned myself properly in the river earlier. I lowered my hood, watching my damp black hair fall toward the water and dangle above it. I had inherited my mother's black hair. My father had a lighter brown shade of hair. My mother had told me that, with the exception of my hair color, I was just like him. Same light eye color, same skin tone, same fierce tone and personality. We were both curious, and roamed around the area whenever we could. Later, I found out I also liked close combat, nothing from afar; just like papa.

I took another mouthful of mead, staring at the water in thought and swallowing it down. I wasn't someone that liked to get drunk, but I did enjoy getting a drink every now and then. Which usually meant every evening.

"Drunk yet?"

I shook myself out of my thoughts, leaning back again. Mercer sat beside me with his own cup. He had also dressed down into the Guild's armor. "You look kind of out of it."

"I'm just thinking about home," I said, glancing over at him. "Are _you_ drunk?"

"I just got here, idiot, but I will be soon." As if to prove it, he took a drink of his own mead. It probably wasn't as watered down as mine.

I rubbed my eyes. "Men are idiots."

"At least I think before I act," he said gruffly, kicking at the water. "Especially in a fight."

"If you came here just to insult me, you can go-"

"You spoke first. I have nothing to be held responsible for."

He was right, so I stopped talking and looked back at my reflection. If there was one thing I hated, it was someone else proving me wrong. As much as I hated to acknowledge it, Mercer _was_ smarter than me. He could do well on his own, that was for sure. I hated to think what happened to people who got on his bad side.

My leg throbbed, and I suddenly remembered that he had also been grazed in the fight. "Hey, how's your arm?"

"It's been better."

"Does it still hurt?"

Mercer removed the glove from his injured arm, resting his elbow on his knee and holding it out for me to see. "It's only been a few hours, Katica. Of course it still hurts."

"It looks worse than mine." His wound would only look like a cut, if it weren't for the inflammation around it. "It's a bigger cut, but it's not as blighted."

"Well, congratulations." He grunted, putting his glove back on. "Send a letter to your mother yet?"

"Shut up." I swing my leg to the side, kicking his ankle. I leaned forward again, raising my drink and downing the rest of my mead. It didn't take me much to get me inebriated, and even with my mead almost fully watered down, I could still feel a faint buzz. I shut my eyes tightly and lowered my head, taking a deep breath.

I stayed that way for a few minutes, listening to scrambled conversations and hum of yelling from the Cistern. It was relaxing for me, a way to wind down after the activities of the day.

"Hello, fellow Nightingales," came Karliah's voice. I listened to her footsteps crossing behind us, raising my head when she settled in beside me. She was still in her Nightingale armor

"Hey. Are you done talking with Gallus?" I asked.

"We only went over what they might be planning," she said, resting her arms on her legs.

"Sure you were," muttered Mercer. Karliah didn't hear, but I did. A grin snuck onto my face.

"Did you get anything to drink?" I glanced around, but she didn't have her own cup.

"I'm not thirsty," she said, looking over at us with her glowing purple eyes. "You two smell like you've had quite the drink, though."

"I didn't have much, it's all Mercer," I said, leaning back on my arms. "I don't want to do anything stupid that could cause my injury to get any worse."

She glanced over at the male pensively. "Mercer, you've got your work to do tomorrow. I suggest you don't have too much to drink."

"I'll be fine," he replied angrily. "Can't a man have a little drink around here without someone reprimanding him?"

I nudged him. "Sure they can. But you've got more responsibilities than most members of the Guild."

"I've also got more intelligence than most members of the Thieves Guild, including you."

"I hope you choke on that mead," I said, glaring at him. I could hear Karliah laughing behind me, a soft, dulcet laugh that drew a smile out of me.

Mercer grunted in response, and with nothing else to say, I turned my attention back to the water yet another time and letting the quietude of my friends surround me. As much as I argued with Mercer, I enjoyed his company around. When I had first joined the Guild, the first people I ran into were Karliah and Mercer, who quickly took me in; Karliah with her mellow words, and Mercer with his familiar slander. They had chosen me to be another Nightingale, but I still didn't know why that was.

"That was a good melee tonight."

I looked at Karliah. "But we still got caught."

"But we handled them," she said with a faint smile. "And damn well at that."

"That'll teach them to mess with the Thieves Guild," said Mercer, slamming his cup down. "Maybe they'll turn tail and decide not to attack us after all."

"We can only hope for the best," said Karliah. "If they do come here, at least we'll be ready for them."

"I just hope we get through it," I said.

"I think we all do," she said faintly.

Our short conversation faded into silent. Each evening, if we could make it, we would come to the Flagon and find each other. It was Karliah that had started the cozy tradition. One evening, after I had completely a long mission that involved sneaking past a few guards, I came to the Ragged Flagon to order my usual drink. I saw Karliah sitting quietly at a table and staring into her drink, and had gone over to speak with her. Not long after I joined her, Mercer and Gallus had come in. As soon as they saw us, they grabbed their seats, and the custom was born. Every evening from then on, the Nightingales would get together and talk. Even if we returned to Nightingale hall, we would still get together.

We sat quietly for ten more minutes. By the time they had passed, I was once again leaning over my legs and staring into the water, absorbed in my memories.

"Well, I think I'll get some sleep," said Karliah. She stood, looking down at us.

Mercer also started to get up, so I grabbed my empty cup and got up as well. "Yeah, I'm tired too," I said, rubbing my forehead. "I think I'm starting to get a headache."

Mercer snickered behind me. I expected him to make a rude comment, but he didn't. Instead, he began to walk off.

Karliah and I walked with him, past the bar and through the side hallways towards the cistern. When I reached my room, I stopped, turning to face them.

"See you two tomorrow," I said, reaching out and tapping both of their shoulders with my knuckles. "Today was fun."

"Especially watching you cry over a cut," said Mercer. My expression fell flat.

"Sleep well, Katica," Karliah said.

I looked over at Mercer vehemently.

He looked back at me, silent. After a few tense seconds, he looked away. "See you tomorrow."

"Good night, Nightingale," said Karliah. "Sleep in the shadows." She placed a hand on Mercer's shoulder and guided him into the cistern. I changed into more comfortable clothing and tossed my Guild armor on top of the chest, falling into bed, and soon, sleep found my waiting form.


	4. Jobs and Mistakes

The next morning, I awoke slowly, taking time to go through what I was going to do for the day as I dressed back into my Nightingale garments. I definitely had to make sure that I took some time to practice my archery, no matter how horrendous it was. I'd have to get Karliah to help me with that, whenever she was available. Then I also had a few small jobs that I needed to get done, and with nothing to do, I figured as may as well get them done.

With everything planned out, and my armor on, I finally left my room. Most of the Guild was already awake and roaming around the place. Some were sluggish and slow, and others were on the alert with their voices raised excitedly. I myself was one of those slow wakers.

"Morning, Katica," Vekel greeted as a sat down at the bar.

I slumped down on the counter and rested my head on my arms, shutting my eyes again. "I need to wake up," I groaned.

After a few seconds, Vekel slid a cup in my direction. "Sleep well?"

"So well I want to go back to sleep," I complained tiredly, stifling a yawn. I took the tankard and raised it to my lips, taking a sip. "Did you put water in this?"

"You said you wanted to wake up," said the barkeeper coolly.

He hadn't watered it down. By the time I had gotten over the strong taste, I was reeling and fully awake. "Damn it, Vekel." But I was grinning.

He chuckled. "You're welcome. Feel free to come to me again when you need your senses roused."

I finished off the mead and set the cup down, making a face. "I don't know why I keep drinking this stuff when I don't even like it."

"Likely to visit me," he suggested.

I flashed him a smirk and stood up. "See you later," I said. "I've got work to do today. Should be fun."

"See you, then," Vekel said. With that, I walked off in search of Karliah. With the threat of impending destruction looming over our heads, I heeded Gallus' suggestion to train in other skills more heavily than I would have otherwise. I could also have one of the other members teach me, but I was more familiar with Karliah's way with a bow, since I had spent more time around her than I had anyone else in the Guild that knew how to use a bow. The very few skills in archery that I did have were mostly from watching her shoot, so it made sense for her to teach me.

I made my way through the hallway, past my room and through the doorway into the cistern. There, I found Karliah at Gallus' desk, studying the details of an old map. When I approached her, she didn't take her eyes off of the map.

"Good morning, Nightingale," she said distractedly.

"Morning," I said, watching her. She didn't respond, still thinking something through. Then she stood upright and turned her attention from the map.

"Sorry-" I started, but she cut me off.

"No, there was something I was working on for Gallus. I've got it figured out though. I'm sorry. Did you get your rest? Your leg didn't wake you up, did it?"

"Not at all. I think I got a better rest than I have all week," I told her. "Did you?"

"It was fulfilling enough," she said, "although I sleep better at Nightingale Hall."

"It was late, and we couldn't have gotten there anyways. We'll probably get to tonight."

"That's what I'm hoping for," she said, glancing back down at the map. "I don't have much to do today, just a couple errands this morning."

"Oh, that reminds me. Since you have nothing to do later today, could you help me practice on some archery? Since Gallus says I need it…"

Karliah smiled. "Of course I can," she said. "Come back in a few hours after you get your jobs done. I'll have nothing else to do by then."

I smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Karliah. I really appreciate everything. And another thing; where's Mercer?"

"He's already been out for an hour. I suspect he's probably getting his work done."

"Like he should be," I muttered. "Thanks again. See you this afternoon." I trudged away from the Guildmaster's desk. What I really wanted to do right then was rest some more, but I did have a few errands to do. I never liked putting things off. If I did, I tended to feel rushed, and I'd get crabby. More crabby than I already was, anyways.

I left the Cistern through the secret entrance, like most of the Guild members did. I had learned early on that leaving from the entrance to the Ratway would look suspicious. Everyone in Riften connected the Ratway to the Thieves Guild, and anyone seen entering or leaving the Ratway was almost immediately connected to the Thieves Guild and kept under close watch by the guards. The only time I had ever left from it, I had the guards on my tail for a week. I could scarcely do anything without someone accusing me of stealing something. Eventually, I convinced everyone that I was only there to check out the pest problem, and it was nothing to do with the Thieves Guild. Everyone in the Guild was infuriated at me; even Karliah was visibly disappointed. So I began using the secret entryway.

It was already late morning, and Riften was spry with activity. Merchants were circled around the middle of town, yelling out prices and items and trying to get more customers to buy from them. Inhabitants and visitors wandered through the roads, keeping their heads down and minding their own business. Word on the street was, the Thieves Guild would steal from anyone who made eye contact with them. It wasn't entirely true, but some of us liked to run our fingers through pockets for change, whether it was because we were bored or as part of a task.

I headed for a nearby house, glancing around to check for guards. There were four or five that I saw, but none of them regarded me as suspicious, even if I was wearing dark armor. They were used to it by then, since I usually wore it all the time.

Someone in Riften had pissed one of the guild members off pretty badly last week, but they didn't have time to go and sweep the house. So it was made a task to do later. I enjoyed breaking and entering houses, and took the job. The Guild made it essential that everyone in Riften know that we had power throughout the city. Whenever someone messed with a member of the Guild, they messed with the whole group, and we always got payback.

When I was sure no one was watching, I took a lockpick from my hair and began to work on the fence. It only took me a few seconds; fence locks were easy to pick. It was the locks on doors that I really had to work on.

I made my way to the back of the house, sticking to the shadows and keeping silent. The lock on the door took two or three lockpicks, but I got it open without anyone spotting me. I never worked on the locks at the front of a house, because there were always people watching you, even if most of them minded their own business. I preferred stealth to time.

During the daytime, people were usually out at work. Each break-in I had done had proved successful because no one was at home while I was doing it, and this time was no different. I double-checked each of the rooms just in case, but no one was home. Nevertheless, I worked quickly to empty the house of valuables, taking moneybags, loose coins, and anything that looked like it was worth something. By the time the heist was finished, each room was missing gold and valuables. I estimated that I had taken at least 500 gold in items, and that was enough for the Guild, most of the time.

I slipped out the way I came, not bothering to replace the lock on the door. Whoever the owner was, they deserved to know that the Guild paid them a little visit. I sprinkled my broken lockpicks next to the door for fun, then made my way back to the front of the house, waiting until the guards were looking the other direction before slipping away and merging into the crowds of Riften.

My second task for the day was harder than the first, because this involved picking the pockets of a commoner, which wasn't my strong point. I had been instructed to plant a stolen jewel on her. The Guild had stolen it some days ago, and wanted this woman gone. Apparently, she was suspicious of us and had almost figured out the identities of several guild members. I scanned the crowds for the woman, mimicking everyone else and keeping my head down. If anyone in the Guild was exposed, it would more than likely mark the rest of us for discovery, too.

I found her a few minutes later, speaking with another woman. I pretended to be busy trying to find a shop, but made sure to keep a close eye on her until she finished her conversation. As soon as she did, I approached her slowly, weaving through the noisy crowd. By the time I had reached her, the gem was hidden in my gloved hand.

I hesitated. Doing a job like this in broad daylight always made me nervous, because I wasn't keen on the possibility of being noticed. However, it did allow me some extra gold for myself, which I thought was well worth it.

I was still in thought when she stopped suddenly, and I bumped into her before I could help myself.

"Hey, watch it!" she exclaimed, turning around to glare at me.

"Sorry," I muttered, clearing my throat and trying to put on the act of a typical drunk. "You stopped too fast."

She scoffed, shaking her head. "Watch where you're going next time, loon. I have ties to the Thieves Guild."

It was all I could do not to knock her down. _Ties my foot,_ I thought hatefully. _We don't like you; you don't like us._ "Okay," I slurred, looking around and sniffing. "G'day."

"Scoundrel," I heard her mutter. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her turn around again and resume walking, and I followed after her again silently. I mouthed a small plea to Nocturnal to help with the job, and then reached out for the woman's pocket. I snagged a few gold pieces in exchange for the gem, making sure it was about the same weight. Then I raised my hand from her pocket again, sidestepping out of the crowd and hurrying away from the woman. She hadn't suspected a thing, and neither had anyone else. I grinned, relieved that it had worked, and muttered a small thanks to Nocturnal. I had gained a bit of gold and pulled off the crime, even if I had run into some trouble. It was how I had been living for years now, and in the end, it always paid off.

I decided to take a break in town before heading back to the cistern to empty my pockets. The sounds of mixed chatter revolved around me as I weaved around people, heading into the center plaza. I made my way to one of the short walls circling around the plaza and hopped onto it, looking around.

Although no one else was paying any attention, I saw it. Whoever it was, they weren't part of the Thieves Guild; we always wore our armor out, for the exception of the Nightingales. No, this was one lone thief, trying to pick his way into a locked house. I snorted. He wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he was breaking into the house.

"Hey!"

_And here come the guards._

The thief spun around quickly, searching wildly for the source of the voice. By that time, the guards were already upon him, their weapons drawn. I slid down from the wall to get a better look. Other people had heard the shout and were slowing down, and I had to creep around several of them to see.

There was no way the man was getting away now. His protests filled the air of Riften while he tried to pull himself out of the grip of the guards. Several townspeople got out of the way as the guards tugged him down the hard streets, combatting his flailing limbs.

"Let go of me!" the thief shouted. "Damned authority you are! You don't catch any of the other thieves!" He struggled to get away, but his efforts remained fruitless. I stepped around the crowd, keeping my head down so I wouldn't attract attention. At times like these, I was paranoid that some random person, whether it was a random civilian or a guard, would see through my silent act and accuse me of thievery. And with the weight of stolen goods that I had on me, I wouldn't be in good shape if I were caught.

"Never bite the hand that feeds you." An elbow nudged me; a hand fell on my shoulder.

I scowled. "Stop touching me. And that doesn't even make any sense."

"Yes it does," said Mercer, who was leaning over the wall behind me. "You see, the Jarl really favored that man. To find him breaking into a house will surely break her heart."

"Boohoo, how sad," I said flatly. "Stop touching me."

Mercer shrugged, withdrawing his hand and raising himself from the wall. "Fine, don't listen to me. You're not my problem anyways. Every man for himself."

"Sexist wretch."

The Nightingale looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged. "You could call me that. Personally, I don't really care what nicknames you come up for me." He flashed a grin at me and began to walk away.

I followed him, shaking my head. "Alright, whatever. Are you done with your jobs yet?"

"Just got done a minute before I found you," he said. "I was on my way back just now. Are you?"

"I'm finished too," I responded. "I was just taking a break before going back."

Mercer lowered his voice, moving back and falling into step with me as we wended through the crowd. "Better hurry, before the guards show up and take you too."

"Like they'd suspect me before you." Reminded of the captured thief, I glanced at Mistveil Keep as we passed by. The complaints had stopped by then, but he was still trying to fight his way out from the guards. "He'll never get out of there."

"He sure as hell didn't kill anyone," Mercer said, "and the Jarl might be lenient on him. Then again, she may not. I don't intend to find out anytime soon." He pushed me forward again.

"Not our problem," I muttered, lowering my head again.

Mercer chuckled. "Now you've got it."


End file.
